Huayu: The young actress is heavily dependent on me

That evening, Chen Li received an invitation to a dinner party.

Han Dongjun hosted the event, and Jin Chen took the lead in organizing it, inviting several familiar young actors from the crew.

Wang Yanlin hitched a ride with Chen Li, and as they entered the private room, he whispered something in Chen Li's ear:

"Goodness, Han Dongjun's attitude, is this some kind of trap? You snatched all their interviews on the day filming started, if it were me, I would definitely have a word with you."

Chen Li didn't reply, but patted him on the shoulder and pushed open the door to the private room first.

The private rooms in this Hengdian hotel aren't large, but they offer good privacy, with several screens dividing the space in a staggered and orderly manner.

Han Dongjun was already seated in the main seat. Seeing Chen Li enter, he stood up and waved.

"Chen Li, sit here."

Wang Yanlin exchanged a glance with Chen Li behind him, the meaning of which was clear:

See? They were after you, just as I expected.

Everyone was present, including Chen Li and Wang Yanlin, as well as several members of the production team.

Lin Yufen came to show her support halfway through, but left after sitting for less than half an hour. However, her presence alone made the atmosphere in the private room much more lively.

As the initiator of this dinner, Han Dongjun raised his glass and stood up after all the dishes were served, speaking in a hearty tone:

"We're all colleagues, and we'll be working hard together for the next few months, so I won't say much more. Enjoy your meal and drinks."

His gaze swept over everyone at the table, finally landing on Chen Li. He paused for a second and nodded slightly.

After a few rounds of drinks, Wang Yanlin was already playing a drinking game with the guys from the photography crew next door.

Jin Chen's face flushed after just two drinks, and she watched the game from the sidelines, resting her chin on her hand.

Chen Li sat by the window, slowly swirling a half-empty glass of wine in his hand, his gaze occasionally falling on the karaoke machine in the corner of the private room.

Han Dongjun walked over with a wine glass in his hand at that moment.

"Come on, Chen Li, let's have a drink."

He patted Chen Li on the shoulder, drank first as a sign of respect, then placed the empty glass on the table, his tone frank and open.

"Don't take what happened on the day the filming started. I checked, it was a Sohu reporter who came up with the idea on a whim, it has nothing to do with you. We're all young people, and we'll be spending several more months together, it's better to make friends than enemies."

He placed the cup on the table, his tone frank and open, without the slightest hint of reluctance.

"Honestly, I've seen your drama 'So Cute Us'—you're definitely got some talent. I'm confident entrusting Zhang Xianzong to you. A drama can't be carried by just one lead actor; if your acting is good, the whole drama will be good."

Chen Li clinked her wine glass with his and drank it down.

He could tell that Han Dongjun's words were not just polite formalities made in front of everyone.

This person truly doesn't hold any grudges.

Jin Chen had previously warned him to be careful as Han Dongjun might hold a grudge, but now it seems she was overthinking it.

Just then, a pale blue, semi-transparent light screen suddenly appeared in front of them.

The system notifications popped up line by line, reflected in the warm yellow light of the private room.

As a superstar, one must have a broad perspective and learn to eliminate misunderstandings with peers.

[Effect Acquired: Thornmail]

[Effect: Anyone who harbors hostility towards the host due to negative emotions such as jealousy or resentment will gradually experience a decline in their luck. This can range from minor setbacks like choking on water to severe misfortunes. This effect is passively triggered and requires no further action from the host.]

Chen Li paused for a second, holding the empty wine glass.

Thornmail? It gives off a strong sense of familiarity with Honor of Kings.

When did the system start copying settings from mobile games?

He almost burst out laughing, but then a thought flashed through his mind like lightning, stopping his smile on his lips.

Wait a minute. Honor of Kings.

It is now February 1963.

If he remembers correctly, TiMi Studio Group's "Honor of Kings" will not be officially released until November 2015.

After its launch, it crushed all other mobile games of the same period, with over 100 million daily active users, becoming the world's most profitable mobile game without exception.

A phenomenal IP hasn't even been born yet; it's currently being repeatedly overturned and reworked by a group of planners in some conference room.

If he could connect with TiMi Studio before the public beta...

Even if it's just participating in early-stage investment or negotiating music licensing deals—the future revenue from this game would far exceed what he's made for ten web series now.

He suppressed the thought for the time being and calmly placed the wine glass on the table.

Let's finish this drink first, and then we can sort out the timeline and feasibility properly when we get back to the apartment.

Seeing his sudden silence, Han Dongjun assumed he was thinking about something else, so he patted his shoulder again and said with a smile:

"Don't just stand there, Chen Yao is waiting to request a song over there."

After Han Dongjun and Chen Li finished their drink, Han Dongjun turned around and joined Jin Chen and the others in their card game.

The karaoke machine in the corner of the private room had been turned on at some point, and the screen was playing the music video of an old song. No one was singing, and the music was so soft it sounded like background noise.

Chen Yao stood to the side for a while, her fingers swiping across the song selection screen, but her gaze kept drifting towards Chen Li, as if she was gathering some courage.

She finally selected a song, and her fingertips trembled slightly as she picked up the microphone.

The music started playing—it was "Little Dimples," the sweet duet love song by JJ Lin and Charlene Choi.

As soon as the intro started, the people in the private room clapped and cheered. Chen Yao's voice blended gently into the melody, like a piece of fruit candy slowly dissolving in warm water.

She usually speaks softly, but when she sings, she opens up more, her voice sweet and clean, with a natural girlish charm.

Chen Li leaned back on the sofa, holding a wine glass, and turned his head slightly to look at her.

Yao Mei is usually quiet and reserved on set.

Standing in front of the karaoke machine, the screen's glow reflected on her fair face. When she sang "dimples and long eyelashes," the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved up, revealing two shallow dimples.

As expected, Yao is the epitome of a sweet girl!

He's a bit too tall... so it doesn't quite fit the bill.

As the song ended, everyone cheered and applauded. Wang Yanlin slammed his wine glass on the table and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Chen Li! It's your turn! Don't think you can escape by hiding in the corner—we're all here waiting to hear the soundtrack live!"

Jin Chen also turned around and joined in the commotion, her face still flushed from the alcohol.

"Yes, yes, we musicians are here to show everyone something!"

Chen Li put down his wine glass, did not refuse, and went over to take the microphone.

He flipped through a few pages on the song selection screen, his finger stopping on a song.

"Because of Love" by Faye Wong and Eason Chan.

He turned to look at Chen Yao and handed her the other microphone.

Chen Yao was stunned for a moment, and when she took it, the tips of her ears had already started to turn red.

The intro begins.

The private room suddenly became quieter.

Chen Li's voice was very low, with a slightly hoarse and magnetic quality, like a melody that drifted out from a late-night radio station.

Chen Yao stood next to him, much shorter than him, her fingers gripping the microphone slightly clenched, yet she still steadily connected to the female voice part.

Her voice sounded different from when she sang "Little Dimples" earlier.

The melody of this love song is slower and deeper, with each note carrying unspeakable emotions.

The dim light in the private room fell on her slightly upturned face, and her eyelashes trembled gently, as if she was trying to restrain herself.

Chen Li turned his head slightly, his gaze naturally falling on her.

He habitually looks at the chorus when he sings; it's an instinct on stage and doesn't mean anything by it.

But his eyes were already deep-set, and with the dim lighting in the private room, the lyrics on the screen reflected in his eyes made him look even gentler than usual.

The moment Chen Yao met his gaze, her heart skipped a beat.

The "Even when looking at a dog, I feel deep affection" effect is activated.

She knew it was just a chorus.

She knew he just had a habit of looking at her when he sang.

But she still couldn't take her eyes off her.

The melody flowed between the two...

She thought the song was wonderful. She thought this moment was wonderful. She wished the song would never end.

Chen Yao was still in a daze when the last note faded away.

She looked into Chen Li's eyes, her fingers holding the microphone turned slightly white, and her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't say anything.

The private room was silent for a full two seconds. Wang Yanlin was about to break the silence with applause—